Roar of the Engines

Local “Gear Heads” digging in the dirt at the Truck Pulls during the Schuylkill County Fair. Don’t miss the “local boys” pulling event Monday July 31.

For the sixth time at the Schuylkill County Fair we will have truck pulls. Local pullers will get their chance on Monday, July 31st. Monday night local diesel and gas truck pullers may compete for the bragging rights of being Schuylkill County Fair truck puller for 2017. This night is for both diesel and gas powered trucks which is different from past year’s event on the track. A diesel truck is a work vehicle, designed to haul cargo or pull trailers, right? That perception has been changed by gear heads. Schuylkill County Fair invites all diesel pickups or SUVs to test their skills and horsepower on the track. Entrants may come from all over the area. The Quarter-mile widened track with good times translate to bragging rights. Clocking locked turbo-diesel can reach 81.0 mph in 16.9 seconds. However, once you add a fuel chip, custom exhaust, locking differentials, and aftermarket air filters, times drop into the low 12-second range. Inject propane and/or nitrous oxide with bigger injectors, unrestricted exhaust systems, and twin turbo-chargers, and things can get very fast. Come to the fair and see who will walk away with the pulling bragging rights. This is sure to excite the crowd who gather to watch the pulls on Monday. First night of pure truck pull excitement.

Tuesday, track activities will be all about Lucas Oil/ East Coast National Pull where the Dirt Churning 466 Hot Farm Tractors, Limited Pro Stock Semi’s, and East Coast Diesel-Pro Diesel Four Wheel Drive Trucks will light up the track. New to the lineup this evening is the Modified Tractors. The track committee decided to bring in the modified tractors this evening to honor the man that started it all at the track, Curt Luckenbill. Curt Luckenbil a number of years ago when the fair was getting started on this property, curt Lucken bill was into pulling modified tractors and suggested that the fair look into these types of events.

Registration for both nights of truck pulls begins at 4PM and pulls will begin approximately at 7 PM.

The track for pulling, which has been used for Antique Tractor Pulling, has been improved by lengthening and re- resurfacing. If rain occurs, it will not dampen the fun. The track will be covered with a tarp to protect it. Keeping the track covered will make for a great evening of tractor pulls. The pulling sled is rented and read to go from Crouse.

Truck pulling is a fine mixture of horsepower, traction, and chassis setup on a 4 WD vehicle that is attached by a heavy chain to a weighted sled. The further your truck pulls the sled, the more stress and pressure it will experience along the track. By the end of the track, even the most powerful trucks will be stopped cold by extremely large forces created by the awesome amount of weight bearing down upon the sled. Some trucks will break under the pressure, and you may witness drive-shafts and axles twisting into scrap metal as man and machine go to war, just to see who can get the best hook! It is adrenaline, testosterone, and excitement. It is a sport that can engulf the entire family, and offer fun and excitement that can be rivaled by very few.

Wednesday evening at 7 PM there will be the return of the much anticipated Celebrity Tractor Pull. This is to be followed by Side by Side Drag races. This is Side by Side Drag Racing of diesel trucks. Diesels dirt drag racing for bragging rights of who owns the fastest truck in the area. Don’t blink or you might miss who crosses the finish line first.

The Schuylkill County Fair Association is pleased to sponsor these thrilling event at the 2017 Fair. Specific rules for the Truck Pull may be found on the Schuylkill County Fair web site, www.schuylkillfair.com under the Pull tab. No pun intended. For more detailed information may be found at www.schuylkillfair.com/exhibits/ in a PDF under Department 22. Contact people for further information include Matt Halabura at (570)449-4133, mhalabura@verizon.net or Fran Vidzicki at (570) 691-5866, elemkt@gmail.com

For more information about the Schuylkill County Fair visit the fair’s web site at www.schuylkillfair.com. Schuylkill County Fair is where the country scene make blue ribbon dreams come true